Ventilator



H. K. ADAMS Dec. 14, 1943.

VENTILATOR Filed May 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F 16.9 HARRY K. ADAMS INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec, 14-, 1943 IT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved ventilator and is more particularly applicable to ventilators and control means therefor.

It is an important object of my invention to provide a simple and efficient ventilator and control means, which ventilator may be incorporated in a wall in a simple marmer and which will withstand varying weather conditions to remain in a functioning condition over long years of use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel control means for opening and closing shutters of a ventilator.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simply and easily operated cam and follower for controlling the function of shutters of a ventilator.

Still another and further object of my invention is the incorporation of all the foregoing ob jects in a single device, which device may be easily constructed and readily installed or mounted for use.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto I prefer o accomplish as follows:

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have devised a ventilator useful for permitting the passage of air through walls. Shutter means serve for the purpose of limiting or closing the ventilator when that is desired. The shutters also function as directing vanes during the passage of air through the ventilator opening for the most efficient and draftless distribution of air throughout the space to which the ventilator communicates. The shutters also shield the ventilator passage from the elements in the case of external wall mountings. ter arrangement also serves as a blackout or light shield to prevent the emanation of light from within a structure venti ated according to my invention, even though there may be light therein blazing brightly. opening I mount a shutter that is directed to protect the opening from the weather, and an inner shutter hin ed oppositely to the outer shutter serves to direct incoming air upwardly as it leaves he ventilation opening to prevent drafts. operation of this shutter I employ a centrally pivoted cam which cooperates with followers on the shutters to open them and permit them to close, the shutters being normally biased by spring means to their closed position. I have also arranged the cam followers on the shutters to serve as a windstop and to prevent the entrance of insects and the like.

Provision is also made for the use of positive air filters which preferably may be of the type My shut- Adjacent the outer face of the For the used in air conditioning heating systems and which collect the dust present in air in passage as well as pollens, gases, bacteria, and other air borne substances. These filters may include a viscous type of cartridge or may be a combination thereof including a charcoal unit or similar gas absorbing structure, any of which permits fairly free flow of air without causing heavy drafts to be injected into a room or area in the event of strong wind on the side of the structure being ventilated.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention I have set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my ventilator as it appears when disassociated from a wall,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, looking downward, of my ventilator, intermediate its horizontal edges,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of my ventilator, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to the showing of Figure 3, but with the shutters in the open position,

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a modified form of my ventilator, taken on a plane similar to the showing of Figure 3, and

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views through alternative forms of filter cartridges that may be employed in my ventilator.

In the preferable form of my invention, I employ top and bottom walls Hi and H, and end walls l2 and it, which are joined together to form a tunnel or passage which may be built into the wall and through which air may pass. In such an instance, as shown in Figure 4, the top and bottom walls l6 and ii are placed between lateral structural members 95 and it that are shown to have inner and outer wall sheathing i1 and i8.

Adjacent each lateral end of the opening defined by walls it, H, 32 and 53 are upright partitions 28 and 2! that are spaced from end walls l2 and i3, respectively, a slight distance. In the openings defined by top and bottom walls It) and l! and partitions 28 and 2!, I mount a filter cartridge 24, which may be removably held in place by spring catch detent 25. Filter cartridge 2 is shown as being of the type filled with fibrous or stringy filtering material. Alternative forms of filter cartridges are disclosed in Figures 8 and 9, wherein the former has baffling vanes 26 and the latter has a pair of spaced screens or fabric filter sheets 2's. The use of such filter inserts is optional and they may be used or omitted as warranted by conditions to be accommodated. I also close the opening occupied by the filter pad by a screen 28 useful for preventing the in gress of insects, rodents, vermin and the like.

Each end of the tunnel defined by the top walls ill and H and the end walls !2 and i3, is closed by a shutter. In the preferable form of installation, the external shutter 33 is hinged at 3! on the upper edge of the opening. The inner shutter 32 I hinge in an opposite manner at 33, adjacent he bottom edge of the opening. Thus, while the external shutter 35 serves to shield the opening from rain, snow, wind and the elements, the internal shutter, when in the open position, serves as an air defiector to direct the passing air upwardly into the room being ventilated.

On each end of the outer shutter Si is a wing 2 or 35 which slips into the space 222 or 22a between end Wall l2 and partition 2i) and end wall it and partition 2!, respectively. Similarly, the inner shutter 32 has end wings d and 37, which are inserted into the spaces 22 or 22a, respectively, at either end of the air passage or tunnel. Between the opposed wings 35 and 31, and anchored at each end thereto, is the coiled spring 38 which tends to bias the Wings and also the shutters to the closed position.

In the opposite end of the structure and between the wings 34 and 36 is a centrally pivoted double cam lever .9 mounted on the pin M for swinging movement. At one end the cam iii has a slot 32 which is engaged by pin 43 carried on the L-shaped drawbar 44, thus constituting a lost motion connection of these parts. The lower leg 35 of the drawbar passes through a slot 5-6 in the top wall it of the ventilator housing. The divergently disposed leg 5? of the drawbar terminating in a knob 43 is directed through the wall in which the ventilator is placed or mounted and serves as a convenient means for manually swinging the cam about its axis. The ends of cam 43 abut and press against the faces 5! and 52 of the wings 34 and 3%, respectively.

A latching lip 55, engageable by any of the -otches 55 on arm i! of the drawbar, serve to tch the drawbar in a desired or predetermined osition. By pulling the drawbar outwardly from the wall from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 the cam til will be caused to swing axially and to exert pressure against the spring biased shutters 33 and 32 and to simultaneously the outer shutter open and force the inner shutter to the open position, whereupon air may then pass through the ventilator.

The wings 3d, 35, 313 and 31 fit closely to spaces 22 or 22a, into which the are insertable, for the purpose of preventing leakage of wind, dust, insects, etc. therethrough.

To close the shutter the drawbar il is disengaged from the latch lip 54 and the urgence of the spring 38 will draw the shutters inwardly toward each other and at the same time cause the cam ii! to return to its normal or at rest position, simultaneously returning the drawbar to the position of Figure 3.

An alternative manner of operating the shutters is shown in Figure '7. In this case the cam lever 68 has attached thereto a spool or drum 6! which is mounted in a recess in a partition of the ventilator housing. Wrapped around the drum 6i and anchored at one end thereto is the draft cable or cord 63. The cable 63 is passed upwardly through a slot 64 in the headboard 65 of the ventilator housing and anchored to a rod 66 which is journaled for rotation in any suitable inanner.

Rod 66 has a crank 61 to facilitate its rotation, and is pressed to the right in Figure 7 by the spring 53, between collar 69 and the inner face of the trim member 10. A pin ll upon the crank may be inserted in an opening l2 and serves to anchor the crank and the rod 68 from undesired rotation when it is desired to latch the shutters in either the open or closed position. It will be obvious that rotation of crank and the shaft 66 will cause certain of the cord or cable 63 to unwind from the spool GI and be wrapped about rod 66. Similarly, the cable will be rewrapped about drum 6! when the crank is released for rotation to its initial starting point.

A particular and desirable feature of my invention is to associate the above described invention directly and as a unit with the usual window frame common to building structures. In this adaptation a window structure of any desired design may be constructed and having the usual glazed sash and preferably double sash for the insulation value and such sash need not be arranged for the usual purpose to insure ventilation but need only be provided with means for access at intervals for cleaning purposes. All ventilating will be accomplished by the device of this invention which may be unitary with the usual window frame and disposed directly below the window sill and between downwardly extending side rails in such manner that during installation of the window frame the ventilating unit is also and automatically incorporated into a wall structure.

While I have shown throughout the drawings and spoken throughout this description of the use of shutters which are not transparent, it will be apparent that this invention is equally suitable in larger openings and with transparent sash, as in windows. Thus the invention may serve not only for the purposes of ventilation, but also as a double sash or as storm sash.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted, except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Ventilator means for opening, compris ing: a housing including top and bottom and end walls joined together to define a tunnel, a pair of hinged shutters one for each end of said tunnel, said shutters being hinged to swing away from the ends of said tunnel in opposite direc-- tions in parallelism to each other, means biasing said shutters to their closed position, an upright partition in each end of the tunnel spaced from the ends thereof, a cam follower on each end of each said shutters and positioned within the space between the end walls and the adjacent'upright partition at each end of the tunnel, a rotatable member having a cam operable upon each cam follower of one pair to press the shutter with which it is associated. away from its closed position, and means for rotating said rotatable member.

2. Ventilator means for an opening, comprising: a housing including top and bottom and end walls joined together to define a tunnel, a pair of hinged shutters one for each end of said tunnel, said shutters being hinged to swing away from the ends of said tunnel in opposite directions in parallelism to each other, means biasing said shutters to their closed position, an upright partition in each end of the tunnel spaced from the ends thereof, a cam follower on each end of each said shutters and positioned within the space between the end wall and the adjacent upright partition at each end of the tunnel, a rotatable member having a cam operable upon each cam follower of one pair to press the shutter with which it is associated away from its closed position, a drawbar connected with one of the cams of the rotatable member to cause said member to be swung about its axis, and means for retaining said drawbar in an adjusted position.

3. Ventilator means for an opening, comprising: a housing including top and bottom and end walls joined together to define a tunnel, a pair of hinged shutters one for each end of said tunnel, said shutters being hinged to swing away from the ends of said tunnel in opposite directions in parallelism to each other, means biasing said shutters to their closed position, an upright partition in each end of the tunnel spaced from the ends thereof, a cam follower on each end of said shutters and positioned within the space between the end wall and the adjacent upright partition at each end of the tunnel, a rotatable member having a cam operable upon each of an opposed pair of cam followers to press the shutters with which they are associated away from the closed position, a spool on said rotatable member having a draft cord coiled thereabout and anchored at one end thereto, and means associated with the free end of said draft cord to draw the same, whereupon said spool and the associated rotatable member are caused to swing about their axes.

HARRY K. ADAMS. 

